Prognostic significance of mediastinal standardized uptake value on positron emission tomography/computed tomography in patients with left upper lobe non-small cell lung cancer: Is invasive staging of aortopulmonary window lymph nodes necessary?

Background: This study aims to investigate whether the invasive staging of aortopulmonary window lymph nodes could be omitted in the presence of a suspected isolated metastasis in the aortopulmonary window lymph node on positron emission tomography/computed tomography. Methods: Between January 2010 and January 2016, a total of 67 patients (54 males, 13 females; mean age: 59.9±8.7 years; range, 44 to 76 years) with metastatic left upper lobe tumors to aortopulmonary window lymph nodes were retrospectively analyzed. According to positron emission tomography/computed tomography findings in clinical staging, the patients were classified as positive (+) (n=33) and negative (-) (n=34) groups. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of sex distribution, lymph node diameter on computed tomography, maximum standardized uptake value of aortopulmonary window lymph nodes, and tumor diameter (p<0.001 for all). A trend toward significance was found to be in pT status, LN #6 metastases, and pathological stage between the two groups (p=0.067). The five-year overall survival rate for all patients was 42.4% and there was no significant difference between the groups (p=0.896). The maximum standardized uptake value of the aortopulmonary window lymph nodes was a poor prognostic factor for survival (area under the curve=0.533, 95% confidence interval: 0.407-0.675, p=0.648). Conclusion: Invasive staging of aortopulmonary window lymph nodes can be omitted in patients with isolated suspected metastasis to aortopulmonary window lymph nodes in non-small cell lung cancer of the left upper lobe.

Comparison of anatomical and functional outcomes of different surgical techniques in myopic macular hole without retinal detachment.

AIM: To define the anatomic and functional outcomes of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling, inverted ILM flap and free ILM patch graft technique for the treatment of myopic macular hole (MH) without retinal detachment. METHODS: Sixty-four eyes of 64 patients who underwent PPV for myopic MH were included. Group 1 consists of patients underwent ILM peeling (n=26), and Groups 2 and 3 consists of patient underwent free ILM patch graft (n=20) and inverted ILM flap procedure (n=18) respectively. Outcomes following surgery were MH closure and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in logMAR at 6mo. RESULTS: Closure of MH was obtained in 20 eyes (76.9%) of the Group 1, in 16 eyes (80%) of the Group 2 and in 16 eyes (88.9%) of the Group 3. The mean preoperative and postoperative BCVA was 1.60±0.53 logMAR and 1.27±0.58 logMAR, respectively (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the postoperative BCVA and anatomical closure rates in the three groups. Although the anatomical closure rate did not differ significantly in the groups, closure of MH tended to be better in the inverted ILM flap technique group at 6mo. CONCLUSION: Different surgical techniques may provide favorable visual and anatomical results for myopic MH surgery. ILM flap techniques offer higher closure rates compared to ILM peeling technique. However, in terms of visual outcomes, the study reveals no difference in three surgical techniques.

Did primary spontaneous pneumomediastinum risk factor alter in the period of COVID-19 pandemia?

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to establish risk factors for primary spontaneous pneumomediastinum associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and reveal those which are significant. METHODS: The study included 62 patients with primary spontaneous pneumomediastinum who presented to our hospital between 11 March 2020, the date of the first-reported COVID-19 case in our country, and 3 January 2021. Of these, 14 patients (22.6%) had COVID-19 and 48 patients (77.4%) did not have COVID-19. RESULTS: Of the 62 patients included in the study, 41 (66.1%) were male and 21 (33.9%) were female. The mean age was 28.90 ± 16.86 (range, 16-84) years. The most common symptom at admission was chest pain (54.8%). The mean age of the patients with COVID-19 was 39.35 ± 23.04 years and that of the patients without COVID-19 was 25.85 ± 13.45 years (P < 0.001). In receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, the area under the curve for age was 0.785 (95% confidence interval: 0.648-0.922) and the optimal cut-off value was 24 years for COVID-19-positive patients. The highest sensitivity and specificity values were 0.857 and 0.729. Twelve (85.79%) of the COVID-19-positive primary spontaneous pneumomediastinum patients were aged 24 years or older (P < 0.001). Five patients (8.1%) had positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 polymerase chain reaction test but no abnormal findings on computed tomography. CONCLUSIONS: Having an age of more than 24 years was associated with a higher prevalence of pneumomediastinum in COVID-19 patients and emerged as an important risk factor. Multicentre studies with more cases are needed to determine whether pneumomediastinum is associated with additional other risk factors related to COVID-19.

Green laser induced foveal cyst sustained in a recreational laser light show.

We report the case of a 9-year-old boy complained of visual loss in his right eye after watching green laser light show being hit by a ray of a laser at shopping center before five days ago. The laser had a maximum power rating of 30 mW (US Food and Drug Administration class IIIB). Best-corrected visual acuity in his right eye was 0.2 with Snellen at 5 days after the injury. Dilated fundoscopic examination demonstrated a macular hole appearance in the right eye. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT, Spectralis, Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) demonstrates a steep fovea contour, a thickening of the macular edges, intraretinal cysts, disruption of the photoreceptor inner segment/outer segment layer and macular pseudohole formation. Central foveal thickness (515 µm) was increased. Two months after the injury, the patient's visual acuity improved to 0.9 in the right eye without any ocular treatment. Spectral domain OCT revealed the closure of the macular hole with the resolution of the cystic spaces. At 6-months follow-up, visual function had fully recovered and macular assessment was normal.

Changes in Anterior Chamber Depth after Combined Phacovitrectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes in anterior chamber depth (ACD) and postoperative refractive outcomes after combined phacovitrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 10 eyes of 10 patients that underwent combined phacovitrectomy (study group) and 14 eyes of 14 patients that underwent phacoemulsification surgery (control group) at Istanbul Medipol University Ophthalmology Department. Preoperative and 3-month postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), ACD, change in ACD and refractive outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Preoperative ACD, postoperative ACD at 3 months and change in ACD were similar between two groups (p=0.403, p=0.886, p=0.841). Postoperative mean refractive outcomes were 0.22±0.51 diopter in the phacovitrectomy group and -0.39±0.53 diopter in the phacoemulsification group (p=0.019). BCVA was increased in both groups (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Postoperative refractive outcomes in eyes that underwent combined phacovitrectomy are different from those in eyes that underwent only phacoemulsification surgery. This is important in determining preoperative intraocular lens power before combined phacovitrectomy.